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AN OVERVIEW OF CHIRAL CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Citation:
Garrison, A W. AN OVERVIEW OF CHIRAL CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVIRONMENT. Presented at 218th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, August 22-26, 1999.
Description:
Upwards of 25% of pesticides and other toxic organic pollutants are chiral; that is, they exist as two mirror image species called enantiomers. The enantiomers of a chiral compound have identical physical and abiotic chemical properties, but usually differ in biological properties such as microbial degradation, uptake and transport across membranes, metabolism rate, and toxicity. Ove the past decade, a few analytical and environmental chemists have begun to investigate this enantioselectivity phenomenon in environmental samples, accumulating data that provide a more accurate assessment of pesticide and PCB transport, exposure and effects. This overview will give historical examples of enantioselectivity in the degradation rates and occurrences of the enationmers of chiral pollutants in various environmental compartments and biota. In addition, recent work from the author's lab will be summarized to illustrate analytical separations of enantiomers as well as enantioselectivity in the environment.